ASIAIR Plus working with NYX-101 but...

rloftin

ASIAIR Plus working with NYX-101 but......

These steps worked for me after spending days pushing buttons and keys, ouch. I use Android so expect iOS to be different but similar.

Uninstall ASIAIR app, if you have 2.0 or greater, if not skip upgrade and keep version 1.91 (the easy way), otherwise...
Search the internet for the version 1.91 APK and download it, there are multiple sources
Go through the hoops of installing the 1.91 APK, again reference the internet for how to do this. It requires you to allow special permissions to install.
Open ASIAIR app, do not upgrade to 2. anything (skip), and select your equipment. In Mounts select 'Meade LX200 Classic'. Complete initial setup.
Tap About, the "!" icon and choose Reset Firmware, Reset to 8.33, this is quick.
restart ASIAIR app and download data, no choice. This took several app restarts and one clear cache but eventually completed, then it unpacks. Wait for it.
restart ASIAIR app. It will force an upgrade to firmware version 9.97, do it, this is also quick.
restart ASIAIR app and download data, no choice. This also took several app restarts and one clear cache but eventually completed, then it unpacks. Wait for it.
restart ASIAIR app DO NOT upgrade to 2.anything, SKIP if suggested.
Verify in main settings pop-out your equipment is correct
Now the fun part, with your NYX-101 turned on and both USB 2 ports connected, hopefully on the telescope icon (mount) page 'Serial' will have 'Connected' displayed,
If not unplug the USB cable and try again. It took several tries for me but eventually 'Connected' was displayed. Nothing can happen if it is not 'Connected.
Meade LX200 Classic should already be entered, if not scroll to and select it AND now set Baud to 115200. It didn't work at any other rate for me.
Now I believe you can use your ASIAIR as expected. It works in my living room, hope it keeps working and with the
Lantern Festival (Feb 6) over, ZWO may address this formally. They just released 2.1 yesterday but no mention of NYX-101 issues fixed, Do not know anything about 2.1... maybe. Not going there yet.

It does work. Nowhere as easy as setting my CEM60 is. Looking at the mounts I believe 'Z' is not the first letter of the alphabet, but I am sure that is a silly standard to observe. Hope this gets worked out, I like both products.

w7ay

@rloftin They just released 2.1 yesterday but no mention of NYX-101 issues fixed, Do not know anything about 2.1...

The Nyx-101 is supposed to be able to connect again in ASIAIR Beta v2.1 (for build 15 or newer). This is from the Build 15 release notes (at the time I am writing this, the Beta is at build 17):

Chen

rloftin

Great!! I will look into and try later. Just happy to make it work at all after days of work. Does it have a Pegasus Astro entry in the mount list? So happy this is an action item. Thanks

w7ay

rloftin Does it have a Pegasus Astro entry in the mount list?

Nope (at least I did not find it under "N" or under "P").

Just try using the LX200 selection as you had been doing before.

The ASIAIR v2.1 Beta even lists the "original" Harmonic Drive (HOBYM) mount , but not the Pegasus.

(HOBYM and RainbowAstro founders used to collaborate closely before RainbowAstro added the RST-150h to their other non-strainwave gear mounts. I had seriously considered the HOBYM in the past, then the RST-150h caught my eye, but finally went and ordered the RST-135 when RainbowAstro announced it (I waited a couple of months before I got one from their first production run). The Koreans have been using strain wave gearing for their mounts for quite a while now.)

Chen

rloftin

Just installed 2.1.52 (10.73) and it did connect using LX200 at 115200 baud, three tries though. No bueno, does nothing for my NYX-101, no control of any kind. I have two ASIAIR's, Pro and Plus. I will only update one because the other is working on the old versions mentioned above. I will keep trying each new update hoping it will work with all functions working

The older version isn't perfect. Manually it has a range of 1 to 4. I believe 4 is fastest but it is almost imperceptible. At least I think it is moving, I could be wrong because it is imperceptible. I must like that word 'imperceptible' as I used it three times already. However, when an object is selected it moves quite quickly with great command and very nicely.

I realize, as I hope anyone using a harmonic drive does, they have tremendous torque. I mean it can bend and break things kind of torque. It is not at all like a standard worm gear drive that stops on a breath of air, ok maybe a stiff breeze with a rigid dew shield. The point is, be careful.

I will be happy to help in anyway I can. Otherwise I'll keep my fingers crossed hoping it will work soooooooon!!

w7ay

rloftin I hope anyone using a harmonic drive does

Do you know if Pegasus is actually using Harmonic Drive™ gears (like RainbowAstro does) instead of Chinese strain wave gears (like what ZWO and iOptron do)? The Harmonic Drive gears are manufactured in USA and Germany, and perhaps now at their branches in Japan and China too.

The little RST-135 can already throw the medium sized Mewlons around like they are rag dolls, and the Pegasus Nyx-101 has an even larger payload capability. Yep, be careful -- especially during an automatic Meridian Flip from an ASIAIR while you are not watching. I have torn USB cables right into two pieces after wrapping around a pier.

Chen

rloftin

Pegasus does not have any reference to the drive manufacture. I can ask but I can guess the reply. I have not been able to get some pertinent information. I am trying to find the baud rate of the NYX-101, and have asked which working version of ASIAIR software/firmware they used for testing that they say worked. Those question details go unanswered. All I have are my tests. I don't understand that.
My guess: In the manual, and the industry, 'strain wave' and 'harmonic gear' are used synonymously. If they used the name brand 'Harmonic Drive™' or others 'Cone Drive'..., you might think it would be advertised, like ZWO uses Sony sensors. It is a selling point unless you use lesser know brands parts. Don't know.

Obs30

There is a lengthy discussion on CN on this subject:
https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/818409-pegasus-astro-nyx-101-harmonic-mount/?p=12548973

w7ay

Obs30 There is a lengthy discussion on CN on this subject:

I had been following that thread, but haven't come across the actual manufacturer of the gears.

I have been less enthusiastic about buying the mount after looking at some of Pegasus' recommendations on autoguiding.

I have a Mewlon 180 coming this Fall (supposed to get into that manufacturing run). I will be trying the RST-135 first, and if the RST-135 is straining, then perhaps I will have to decide whether to get the RST-300 or the NYX-101. By then, Pegasus hopefully won't be using bogus chips either.

Chen

Obs30

Hi Chen,

I was referring to the ASIAIR onstep drivers rather than the hardware or gears 🙂.

Mewlon 180 NICE! I am currently looking at 130mm F/7 apos (triplets) with FPL53 or FPL55 glass. There are very nice ones from TS Optics in Germany.

I will wait a little bit as well before going for something like the NYX-101... I am still kind of beta testing the Avalon StarGO2. I do not want to do that with another mount again.